https://tushbaby.com/blogs/blog.atomTushBaby - Blog2019-02-11T14:36:00-08:00TushBabyhttps://tushbaby.com/blogs/blog/tushbaby-is-a-game-changer-for-kids-with-special-needs2019-02-11T14:36:00-08:002019-02-11T14:41:51-08:00TushBaby Is a Game-Changer for Kids With Special NeedsTammy RantMeet Conner and his mama Jenny.

Conner was born prematurely — at 24 weeks — and spent six and a half months in the NICU.

He was diagnosed with Periventricular Leukomalacia, Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Visual Impairment, Epilepsy (controlled), and G-Tube dependence. But this little man just turned three in February. Happy Birthday Conner!

At three years od, Conner weighs 25lbs and isn’t sitting or moving independently yet. This means Jenny spends a lot of her time carrying Conner, and switching him from side to side to give her hips and arms a break.

When she heard about TushBaby — a simple carrier that distributes your little one’s weight evenly — she decided to give it a go. We chatted with Jenny to understand a little more how she’s using TushBaby, and what both she and Conner think.

How often and where do you use TushBaby?

I take my TushBaby everywhere. I use it every time I leave the house for quick errands, and for longer trips to the zoo, the aquarium, and to carry Conner in and out of therapy. I keep it in my car so I can grab it whenever I need it.

I even brought it with us to Los Angeles for our three-week stay and am so thankful I did. I used it around our AirBNB to get things done while holding Conner.

How has it helped?

Before TushBaby, I couldn't hold Conner longer than 10-20 minutes before needing a break. He’s not sitting up on his own yet, so his core strength is weak. When he’s really tired, he’s dead weight and it is impossible to hold him for extended periods of time. Since getting TushBaby, I’ve been able to hold Conner for hours with no problems. It’s saved my back and arms, and has turned sometimes frustrating activities into something enjoyable for not only me, but for Conner too.

TushBaby is also so much easier to manage than a stroller (even an umbrella stroller) and I can push a cart while carrying Conner with it.

I use the pockets for my keys, wallet, and phone. And even if I bring a diaper bag, I can wear the diaper bag, the TushBaby and Conner with no problems!

What does Conner think about it?

Conner loves TushBaby! He likes being at eye level when he meets new people because he’s very social. And he can interact with me when we’re out and about instead of sitting in his stroller, which makes him really happy.

I’ve noticed that Conner’s become more curious since we started using TushBaby. I assume he’s seeing more of the world from this new level.

He’s really been able to enjoy our outings so much more with TushBaby. As I said before, I use TushBaby at zoos and aquariums and it allows Conner to be closer to exhibits, which is helpful with his Cortical Visual Impairment. Before, I would have to take him in and out of his stroller to see things, which is frustrating for both of us. And with his vomiting challenges, I often would opt not to move him for fear he’d throw up.

Now Conner is able to be more involved with the world, socialize with more people, and generally feel more included. TushBaby has truly been a gamer changer for me — and for Conner.

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https://tushbaby.com/blogs/blog/how-i-got-on-shark-tank-airing-tomorrow-9pm-on-abc2019-01-05T15:52:00-08:002019-01-05T16:53:28-08:00How I got on Shark Tank - airing TOMORROW @ 9pm on ABC!Tammy RantThere were so many nerves, brutally long periods of silence and self-doubt, countless fake-it-til-you-make-it moments, and of course, the grand finale of putting myself at the mercy of successful people who seem to have a lot more fun saying no than yes.

All while being pregnant.

I’ve been a Shark Tank fan FOREVER, and I knew that one day I’d come up with something to pitch. With TushBaby, I got my shot.

I applied to the show in August 2017 — just two months after I’d come up with the concept, and received my first prototype. I didn’t hear anything back. But so many parents and caregivers had approached me in parks and stores asking where I’d bought my carrier that I knew I had a good thing going. So I spent the next six months upgrading the design and features and testing new prototypes with user groups.

During this time, I found out I was pregnant with my third baby. I was thrilled! But I was also terrified because I’d suffered Hypermesis Gravidaraum (HG) with my first two pregnancies. HG is basically morning sickness on steroids. Kate Middleton had it. Amy Schumer has it. And for my first two pregnancies, I’d had it. That meant vomiting 10-20 times a day, spending four months in and out of the hospital getting IVs, having stomach pumps, and resting in bed.

Welp, my third pregnancy was no different.

Bedridden, malnourished, and depressed, I’d pressed pause on TushBaby because frankly I was too sick to do anything. Of course, that’s when I got a call from an LA number. I picked up the phone and a rep from Shark Tank said they wanted me to shoot 7-10 minute audition video, send it in, and find out within two weeks if I was in.

All I have to say is thank god for friends and family. My sister-in-law Riley (a marketing writer and now TushBaby Creative Director) quickly scripted a video for me. My brother-in-law Ken and sister-in-law Sam recorded me from their go-pros, achieving the perfect camera angle from a pile of children’s books in my daughter’s room. I shot the video vomiting between takes and then put my fate in some random producer’s hands.

Radio. Silence. Two weeks later, I’d given up hope that I’d hear back. But at the11th hour the 14th day, I found out I made it to the next round. Imagine a lot of screaming and laughing and ugly-crying and wild-eyed excitement at this point.

Except for one minor detail: I didn’t have any sales. TushBaby wasn’t a real company yet. After watching every episode of every season, I knew that if I walked into the tank with just an idea, a couple of samples, and a business plan, I’d be eaten alive.

So I decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign. I thought if I could sell $20,000 in one month, I could prove to the sharks there was real customer appetite.

Riley went to work writing the copy for the Kickstarter campaign and video and I reached out to a videographer my cousin referred. I was too sick to film for several weeks but knew I could be filming Shark Tank in early June — meaning I needed to launch my Kickstarter campaign in early May to give it 30 days before going into the tank. It was now or never baby!

But man was I miserable. On the day of the shoot, I laid in bed while someone did my makeup. I curled my unwashed hair and got myself dressed. By that point I was only vomiting 2-5 times a day and didn’t need IVs anymore. But I still needed to fake a whole lot of pep and health for the camera. Riley and I busted our butts to complete the Kickstarter in time. And on May 8th, we hit submit, held our breath, and hoped the world would like what we’d made.

A few days in, I was tagged on Facebook in the comment section of a Daily Mail post. They’d covered TushBaby? THEY’D COVERED TUSHBABY! The internet is a strange beast. And soon after, other media outlets started posting about TushBaby — and I only knew when someone tagged me. Before long I was tagged in posts by Cheddar, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, Tip Hero, Parents, Buzzfeed, and Redbook to name a few.

We had over 10 million views and sales were booming! Four days before the campaign ended, Insider featured us, and that went viral with over 50 million views. We closed Kickstarter at $124,000, and sold another $75,000 within 7 days of the Insider post.

A week before wrapping up our Kickstarter campaign, I got the call I’d been waiting for. “Book a flight to LA. You’re going to be filming Shark Tank in two weeks.”

Before waking into the tank, I was well aware I could still get cut and sent home at any time. But I had worked so hard to get here, I was NOT going to let that happen.

It was go time. My legs were shaking so badly I had to sit down for a few minutes. I vomited. I cried a little. The producers were worried about me, and thought maybe I should have a chair on set, but I declined. They reminded me not to lock my knees on stage or I might faint.

I stood in front of the big double doors, holding my baby on my hip with my husband to my right. I held my breath, the doors opened wide, and I started walking in. You can see how this story ends tomorrow on ABC at 9pm!]]>